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ae wheat exported, handled but 24.9% of the wheat exported in 1898; her percentage of the corn export of 1893 was - 26.7%, and in 1898 but 20.3%; her percentage of the flour export, which in 1893 was 36.2%, fell to 32.3% in 1808, while her percentage of the exportation of oats, which in 1893 was 83.3%, fell to 58.2% in 1898. -Boston exported in 1893 less than 6% of the wheat crop, against over 14% in 1897, and but 5.5% of the corn exports, against over 10% in 1894. This loss of grain exports by New York and Boston be- came the gain of Baltimore, Newport News, New Orleans, Galveston and certain of the northern border ports. Balti- more handled in 1898 14.7% of the wheat exportations, against 8.1% in 1897; Newport News increased from less than 1% in 1896 to over 2% in 1898; New Orleans increased from less than 4% in 1897 to over 11% in 1898, and Galves- ton increased from 4.5% in 1897 to over 7% in 1898. In corn exports, however, New Orleans and Galveston lost, New Orleans dropping from 17.2% of the total corn exports of 1897 to 11.1% in 1898, while Galveston dropped from 3.4% in 1897 to 2.3% in 1898. ———————————— SS ODEO DElRR SHIP DRILLS. It is time now that the marine insurance companies and _underwriters agents, which are the only power recognized by the passenger steamship companies, should make a law that they will not insure vessels on which three drills, to be specified, do not take place at least twice a month. ‘These drills are familiar to every man who has served on board an American man-of-war, and they ought to be made familiar to every one who serves on a passenger ship in the ocean trade. These are fire drill, collision drill and ‘‘abandon ship’ drill. On well governed lines these drills—or the first and third at any rate—are practiced, though none too often. Frequent practice of these drills results in every man’s being perfectly familiar with his station and duties, so that in the hour when the drill becomes a real perform- ance he is cool and collected. Furthermore, he knows that a correct performance of the duty allotted to him will insure his own safety, and hence he will not feel under the neces- sity of making a wild fight for his life. Thesefacts are well ‘ HE MARINE RECORD. known in the naval service, and the men are kept familiar with the duties of these drills. It must be quite evident to every one that there was no system for abandoning the ship on the Bourgogne, or at any rate a very important one. The insurance companies, it seems, are the only authorities to deal.with such matters. They work for civilized system at sea allthe time. They compel ship owners to employ masters and mates who have certain examinations and been formally licensed. They compel ship owners to submit their vessels to inspection of hull and boiler. They compel ship owners to limit the load of their ships. The laws bearing on these matters originated in the demands of insurance companies. Now let the steamship companies demand the passage of laws requiring the drills mentioned on pain of raising the insurance rates. The. companies which insure their own vessels would be reached indirectly, because they could not afford to neglect precautions designed to inspire public confidence. Thisisa matter which should receive immediate attention. Bourgogne horrors have no busirress to occur in an age of enlightenment.—New York Times, oo on or TO COMPLETE THE NICARAGUA CANAL. Lyman E. Cooley, of Chicago, the well known civil en- gineer, after a visit east and a conference in New York with representatives of the Maritime Canal Co., owners of all the rights and concessions along the proposed route of the Nic- aragua canal, believes that the United States government will construct the great waterway in preference to letting the contract to private companies or corporations. Mr. Cooley says: “The construction of the waterway will not be a tremen- dous undertaking, though it may take seven years to do it. The Maritime Canal Co. asks for $11,500,000 from the goy- ernment to relinquish all of its rights and concessions. The company bought out all of the concessions. ‘The company, it is understood, will take $7,000,ocoin the stock of a new company that the government might form and $4,500,000 from the government to. validate its bonds. The company bought out all of the concessions of the old Nicaragua asso- ciation, which is said to have expended something like $5,- 000,000. The Maritime Canal Co. was then organized, and it has spent $2,000,000 in Nicaragua on the canal undertak- ing, but had to quit the work.”’ MY EASTERN FREIGHT REPORT. Messers. Funch, Edye & Co., New York, in their ‘usual weekly freight report for eastern ports places the freigh market as follows: The list of charters effected for grain shows quite .an increase in number of fixtures, but, unfortunately, accom- panied by a steady decline in freight rates. The enquiry tor small tonnage for Cork f. 0. is practically dead, unless connected with by options for special ports, notably. Den- mark. Rates for deals from the Provinces continue dull and depressed, whilst timber freights from the Gulf. ports, although ot active, are fairly well maintained. Other trades are inactive, and the general enquiry for steamers light. A few time charters effected show a vety sharp de- cline from former quotations. Our market for sail tonnage continues very quiet; and we do not see any prospects for immediate improvement. Rates, though weak, show no decided decline, however, except in the South American business, freights for which ports are influenced by the approaching restoration of peace, and have receded to about the same level which they held before the wat. Tro or Capt. JosHuA SLocum is doubtless both a hardy mariner and an enterprising man. To make a trip around the world in a small boat is no doubt a feat, but one which we would rather somebody else performed than ourselves. Since April, 1895, Capt. Slocum has been afloat on the fierce ocean tide in a 30-foot lugger, and says he has navigated 46,000 miles of sea. Itis to be hoped he liked it, for we cannot see any earthly, or oceanic, purpose served by the exploit. Capt. Slocum’s voyage is real, but it reminds us of the. yarns of some American travelers on board a trans-Atlantic liner, who were telling tall stories against each other about won- derful voyagers. After a pretty high series one New Yorker said: ‘‘Wal, I guess the smartest thing I ever saw. in the way of voyagin’ was a man on a raft we met last.timel. crossed, three days out from Queenstswn, bound east. We hailed him, and he said he was’way from Boston bound for Liverpool, and had navigated that ’ere log all by himself. ° He declined any assistance, and guessed he would be to port nigh as soon as us.’’ Says a Bostonian, with an eager light in-his steely eye: ‘‘Say, stranger, you saw that man?’ ‘Yes; - I saw that man right alongside.”’ ‘‘Wal, now, stranger, I’m real glad to meet you. I was that man.’’ And there were no more smoke-room stories that night.—The Syren and Shipping, London. (Trade-Mark Registered. TOBIN BRONZE INCORPORATED 1794. Insurance Company of North America CAPITAL, Paid up in Cash, - : : ASSETS, - - - - - - CHARLES PLATT, President. GREVILLE E. FRYER, Sec’y and Treas. Lake Marine Department, SFOPs* Sess anY Pintsch Gas Lighted Buoys. Adopted by the English, German, French, Russian, Italian, and United States Light-House Departments for channel Tensile strength of plates one-quarter inch thick, upward of 78,000 Ibs. per square inch. Non-corrosive in sea water. ¢ ; Square and Hexagon Bars for Bolt Forgings, Pump Piston Rods, Yacht Shaftings, etc. Rolled Sheets and Plates for Pump Linings and Condenser Tube Sheets, Centerboards, Fin Keels and Rudders. EUGENE L. ELLISON, Vice President. JOHN H. ATWOOD, Assistant Secretary. T. HOUARD WRIGHT, Marine Secretary. Controlled by 160 Broadway, New York City. Torsional strength equal to the best machinery steel. Can be forged at cherry red heat. Round, Send for Pamphlet. The Ansonia Brass & Copper Co, SOLE MANUFACTURERS, 19-21 Cliff St., NEW YORK. MARINE AND INLAND INSURANCE. Organized 1842. - $3,000,000.00 - 10,023,220.93 Atlantic Mutual Insurance Co. Office 51 Wall Street, NEW YOR” Insures against Marine and Inland Transportation Risks and issue colicies making Loss Payable in England. Assets over $10,000,000 for the Security of its policies. A. A. RAVEN, Pres. L. McCURDY. Manacer. . a NEW YORK. PHILADELPHIA. BOSTON. and harbor lighting. Over 800 gas buoys and gas beacons in service, Burn And Continuously Fire and Marine from 80 to 365 days and Insurance. nights without atten- tion, and can be seen a distance of six miles. ad Lines. Pd THE SAFETY GAR HEATING AND LIGHTING Co. Guaranty Bidg., THEO. P. JOHNSON, 3d V. P. BALTIMORE. SAN FRANCISCO, NEW ORLEANS. Johnson & Higgins, Average Adjusters, Special Facilities for Placing Marine BUFFALO, N. Y. The profits of the Company revert to the assured, and are divided annually upon the premiums terminated during the year; thereby reduct cates are issued bearing interest untill order the cost of insurance. For such dividends, certifir to be redeemed, in accordance with the charter. CORNELIUS ELDERT, 2d V. P. J.H. CHAPIIAN, Sec’y. FP. A. PARSONS, V.P. For Stationary, Portable, Traction Engines, Tugboats, &c.|| Thoroughly Reliable—Perfectly Automatic. JENKINS BROS., = Selling Agents;|| NEW YORK, BOSTO 0. I